Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry – 05
Time to go to the pool for an argument
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Part of being a couple is working through misunderstandings. There’s almost always something that needs to be worked out. How a couple manages that is key to whether they’ll actually work as a couple. |
Perspective Switch
“So did you wanna do… oh, you’re asleep.”
I found it interesting that this episode switched viewpoints entirely to following Stella and letting us know her thoughts. Now, I’m sure some of that is because of the subject matter of this episode. To be short with it: Stella wants some cuddling. It’s been two weeks since they both confessed their feelings, but in that time they haven’t even as much as kissed. And as I said, they switch to Stella because seriously, what guy isn’t interested in cuddling his girlfriend? But I think that there was a risk, if they stuck with Ikki and had the same storyline, they’d be running perilously close to making a lot of insinuations about Stella that just aren’t very nice. This way they can portray her as a normal girl, because the truth is that girls think about getting physical too. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t be here talking about this.
Shizuku steals a (n indirect) kiss
But Stella’s not just getting antsy about snuggles with Ikki, she’s starting to worry if there’s a fundamental compatibility problem. And she’s even wondering if she and Ikki are making a big mistake being a couple, because he seems to be paying more attention to other people, but won’t even include her in the training that he’s doing for the other students. But the things he says are the right things, showing that he’s big-hearted and generous, and he backs it up even when the other first-year boys threaten him, jealous of all the attention Mr Newly Famous is getting. Ikki even manages to disarm them without using summoning Intetsu and causing a problem. He actually reminded me of Takeo Gouda, in that all the boys like him and want to be like him.
“No, I wasn’t wishing you would act like the guy in this game, not at all!!!”
Frustrations Coming Out
Shizuku gets encouraged
That doesn’t help Stella, tho, who goes through increasing frustration trying to figure out what the issue is between her and Ikki. She realizes that part of it is her own hanging back, because she’s afraid that Ikki would think badly of her if she’s too forward. But all she’s seeing is that he’s even teaching Shizuku, but avers when she even asks. She does get some comfort from Alice, who lends her an otome game, where she can have a boy who actually pays attention to her and where she can be honest. And things are looking up a little, as Ikki explains that he can’t teach her because she’s already ahead of him, and because his style is not compatible with hers and might even cause problems.
Argument time
But when Kagami asks Stella how far they’ve gone as a couple, she still hesitates to admit it. Finally, she does, and all her frustrations come out, and even though she really likes Ikki, she’s wondering if they should even be together. The resulting argument with Ikki is one that’s familiar to all couples, with both people arguing the same thing, but their thoughts are just running with their emotions. Eventually both Ikki and Stella realize that the argument they’re having is one they don’t know why they’re having. But having opened up their emotions to each other, they’re finally able to say what they want: that each wants to be more forward and that they both want the other to be more demonstrative.
They use some nice filters for the kissy parts
I liked this episode, dealing with the misunderstandings of a new couple. Yeah, it was kind of hard watching Stella make some mistakes in her approaches to Ikki, letting her stubbornness get the best of her a few times, but in the end she was able to be more honest with herself and be more honest with Ikki. At the same time, Alice gave Shizuku some interesting advice, which boiled down to “be who you are.” Good advice coming from Alice, who has certainly faced some of the same opprobrium. I expect we’ll get back to the fights next week, as both Stella and Ikki are set up against the officers of the Student Council.
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
This episode is largely anime-original, putting together separate elements from Vol 2 but in a different context. One reviewer likened it to “a Frankenstein’s monster of canon material.” Changes include:
1) the novel very briefly mentions people flocking to Ikki for training. The anime expanded an entire part of the episode for this.
2) the otome game scene came from Vol 0, a side story collection.
3) Stella didn’t discuss her feelings for Ikki with Kagami, but with the new female character, who briefly appeared at the pool this episode.
Novel readers are concerned with 3) because it deprives the new girl of her pivotal establishing character moment, central to Vol 2’s story.
Otherwise, they approve how the anime’s adapted the content without being slavishly faithful to the LN’s pacing.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
That’s always the kind of direction I like to see, especially when it’s pulled off pretty seamlessly. Not that I particularly worry about canon material, because if you have crap canon material, you’ll get crap adaptations from sticking to it. But using the good material that there is to make an episode that was coherent and interesting is always good in my book.
I saw the new character, but at this point, if they’re going to work the “Stella and Ikki having relationship trouble” storyline, and have Stella pour her heart out to someone, Kagami is a MUCH better choice than someone completely new that we don’t know (“Why is Stella talking to this girl? Who is she?”). Plus, if that’s a character establishing moment for the *new* girl, then, imo, it doesn’t really belong in an episode about Stella and Ikki. I’m pretty sure they’ll be able to work her character in in the future.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Stella already knew the new girl at that point in the source story, so she was more willing to pour her heart out then.
That said, it’ll be interesting to see how the writers handle the girl’s characterization later on. Onward to next week!
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I figured that would be the case, but since they moved it up, it’s much better this way. I also like that they get the Stella and Ikki relationship trouble out of the way now, rather than have it mucking up some point in the future, if they can avoid that. I can understand that having those kind of troubles can weigh on you as you’re trying to do other stuff (oh I sure can) but the way it was cast as a kind of petty tiff (it is an important thing, but it’s also something that’s petty by the nature of both of them being the one saying “I’m afraid they’ll look at me in a bad light”) made it better dealt with this way.
But I think this is also showing that good source material lends itself to a good adaptation in the right hands.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Notice how the shared apartment’s become cosier after Stella moved in.
In Episode 1 it was plain and spartan. By Ep 5 there’s wallpaper, a sofa, beanbags, coffee table etc.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
All the more to hanky-panky in the apartment… 😛
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I noticed the wallpaper and the feel. Not a choice I would have made with the wallpaper, but oh well. But again it’s nice that they’re doing things like that without pointing them out specifically. It really feels like the direction of the show is going very well, and they’re on top of the whole story, not just the main plot.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
…there were a few points I felt we’re kinda forced. Telling Stella, even if he didn’t know it would give her a boost then and there, that he couldn’t train her cause she’s better than him seems like the normal way the conversation would have gone. Also having Alice tell Shizuku that she still has a chance just seems derpy.
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
Like mentioned above, a lot of parts in this episode were stuff that should have happened earlier. That talk between Alice and Shizuku happened after the siblings’ reunion in episode 2, well before Ikki and Stella got together. That’s why it felt off. Shizuku was asking for Alice’s advice after the disaster of their reunion with the kiss and the fight with Stella and all.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I thought they worked those couple points well enough, in that Stella tsuntsun-ed off before Ikki could clarify. I think it’s also fairly natural that if Ikki was having a bit of trouble acting normally around Stella, just like she was having trouble acting normally around him, that the conversation would go iffy at that point. And while it does seem like Shizuku is being encouraged at the wrong point, I think the show has an interest in keeping her at least in play, in her own mind. And for me, it’s more interesting that Alice is supporting Shizuku in being who she is than that Shizuku is still thinking about Ikki that way. I think that was the big takeaway for me, that Alice recognizes Shizuku’s nature and is trying to support her.
I have to say that I also kind of like the characterization of Ikki that he’s not that good in the moment, but works hard to make things right when he can. That resonates with me, at least, because I feel the same way about a lot of interactions with other people. And it’s good that Stella is at least amenable to it so far.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
…I will agree on the point of Alice supporting Shizuku for what she wants to be…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
FYI, someone is spamming using linkbacks. Circular ones.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Endcard 05
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